An image pick-up apparatus such as a camera has conventionally employed a technique for detecting a prescribed image pick-up target from a picked-up image of a subject (picked-up image). For example, in an augmented reality technique, a technique for detecting a marker by subjecting a marker (a search target) included in an image picked up by a camera to image recognition processing (a marker detection technique) has been known.
An exemplary embodiment provides an information processing program, an information processing system, an information processing apparatus, and an information processing method, capable of providing more visual effects for having a user actually feel augmented reality by making use of a detected marker (a search target).
An exemplary embodiment provides a non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program and executable by a computer of an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus is connected to an image pick-up apparatus and a display. The information processing program includes image obtaining instructions, search target detection instructions, event occurrence instructions, virtual image generation instructions, and display control instructions. The image obtaining instructions cause the computer to obtain an image of a subject picked up by the image pick-up apparatus. The search target detection instructions cause the computer to detect a search target from the image of the subject obtained in accordance with the image obtaining instructions. The event occurrence instructions cause the computer to cause an event to occur in a virtual space in accordance with variation in number of the search targets that can be detected in accordance with the search target detection instructions. The virtual image generation instructions cause the computer to generate a virtual image by shooting the event that occurs in accordance with the event occurrence instructions with a virtual camera arranged in the virtual space. The display control instructions cause the display to display the virtual image such that it is visually recognized by a user as superimposed on the image of the subject or on the subject seen through a screen of the display.
According to the exemplary embodiment, since an event is caused to occur in the virtual space in accordance with variation in number of search targets that can be detected, more visual effects for having the user actually feel augmented reality by utilizing the search target can be provided.
In an exemplary embodiment, the search target includes a first search target and a second search target arranged as encompassed in the first search target, and the event occurrence instructions are adapted to cause the event to occur in accordance with the number of the first search targets and the second search targets that can be detected in accordance with the search target detection instructions.
According to the exemplary embodiment, by detecting the second search target arranged as encompassed in the first search target, more visual effects for having the user actually feel augmented reality by further utilizing the search target can be provided.
In an exemplary embodiment, the event occurrence instructions are adapted to cause a first event to occur when the first search target and the second search target is successfully detected in accordance with the search target detection instructions, and to cause a second event to occur when only the second search target is successfully detected in accordance with the search target detection instructions, subsequent to occurrence of the first event.
According to the exemplary embodiment, since different events are caused to occur in accordance with variation in number of detected search targets, more visual effects for having the user actually feel augmented reality can be provided. For example, the first event may be caused to occur when both of the first search target and the second search target is successfully detected, and thereafter, second event may be caused to occur when the first search target is not detected but only the second search target is successfully detected, for example, by arranging an object in a real world over the first search target. The first event may be caused to occur when both of the first search target and the second search target is successfully detected, and thereafter the second event may be caused to occur when the first search target is not detected but only the second search target is successfully detected by bringing the image pick-up apparatus closer to the second search target. By thus generating and displaying a virtual image of the event, more visual effects for having the user actually feel augmented reality in various manners can be provided.
In an exemplary embodiment, the display control instructions are adapted to display a guide at a position corresponding to the first search target detected in accordance with the search target detection instructions.
According to the exemplary embodiment, since the guide is displayed at a position corresponding to the first search target, the user can perform an operation on the search target without confusion and consequently an event can be caused to occur.
In an exemplary embodiment, the display control instructions are adapted to display the guide urging the user to take such an action as varying the number of the first search targets and the second search targets that can be detected in accordance with the search target detection instructions.
According to the exemplary embodiment, since the guide urging the user to take such an action as varying the number of the first search targets and the second search targets is displayed, a hint about causing an event to occur can be given to the user.
In an exemplary embodiment, the event that occurred in accordance with the event occurrence instructions includes arrangement of an object in a prescribed shape in the virtual space, and the virtual image generation instructions are adapted to generate the virtual image by shooting the object in the prescribed shape with the virtual camera.
According to the exemplary embodiment, since an object in a prescribed shape is displayed in accordance with an event, as compared with a case where an object is simply displayed at a position corresponding to the search target, more visual effects for having the user actually feel augmented reality can be provided.
In an exemplary embodiment, the event that occurred in accordance with the event occurrence instructions includes arrangement of a plate-shaped polygon in the virtual space, and the virtual image generation instructions are adapted to generate the virtual image by mapping a texture on the plate-shaped polygon and shooting the polygon with the virtual camera.
According to the exemplary embodiment, since a virtual image obtained by mapping a texture on the plate-shaped polygon arranged in the virtual space is generated, more visual effects for having the user actually feel augmented reality can be provided.
In an exemplary embodiment, the information processing program further includes position calculation instructions for calculating positional relation between the image pick-up apparatus and the search target based on the image of the subject and virtual camera arrangement instructions for arranging the virtual camera in accordance with the positional relation calculated in accordance with the position calculation instructions.
According to the exemplary embodiment, since an image picked up by a virtual camera arranged in accordance with positional relation between the image pick-up apparatus and the search target is generated as the virtual image, such display as if an event occurred in a real world can be provided and hence more visual effects for having the user actually feel augmented reality can be provided.
In an exemplary embodiment, the information processing program further includes first search target position detection instructions for detecting a position of the first search target from the image of the subject, first search target position calculation instructions for calculating positional relation between the image pick-up apparatus and the first search target based on the position detected in accordance with the first search target position detection instructions, and virtual camera arrangement instructions for arranging the virtual camera in accordance with the positional relation calculated in accordance with the first search target position calculation instructions, and the virtual image generation instructions are adapted to generate the virtual image by shooting with the virtual camera, at least the second event that occurs in accordance with the event occurrence instructions.
According to the exemplary embodiment, a virtual image is generated by shooting the second event with the virtual camera arranged in accordance with positional relation calculated in accordance with the first search target position calculation instructions, and therefore more visual effects for having the user actually feel augmented reality can be provided. In addition, since the virtual camera is arranged based on positional relation between the first search target larger than the second search target and the image pick-up apparatus, as compared with a case where the virtual camera is arranged based on positional relation between the second search target and the image pick-up apparatus, shake or flicker of the event displayed as the virtual image is lessened.
An exemplary embodiment provides an information processing apparatus connected to an image pick-up apparatus and a display. The information processing apparatus includes an image obtaining unit, a search target detection unit, an event occurrence unit, a virtual image generation unit, and a display control unit. The image obtaining unit obtains an image of a subject picked up by the image pick-up apparatus. The search target detection unit detects a search target from the image of the subject obtained by the image obtaining unit. The event occurrence unit causes an event to occur in a virtual space in accordance with variation in number of the search targets that can be detected by the search target detection unit. The virtual image generation unit generates a virtual image by shooting the event that occurs by means of the event occurrence unit with a virtual camera arranged in the virtual space. The display control unit causes the display to display the virtual image such that it is visually recognized by a user as superimposed on the image of the subject or on the subject seen through a screen of the display.
According to the exemplary embodiment, since an event is caused to occur in the virtual space in accordance with variation in number of search targets that can be detected, more visual effects for having the user actually feel augmented reality by utilizing the search target can be provided.
An exemplary embodiment provides an information processing method processed by a control unit of an information processing apparatus connected to an image pick-up apparatus and a display. The information processing method includes the steps of obtaining an image of a subject picked up by the image pick-up apparatus, detecting a search target from the obtained image of the subject, causing an event to occur in a virtual space in accordance with variation in number of the search targets that can be detected, generating a virtual image by shooting the event that occurs with a virtual camera arranged in the virtual space, and causing the display to display the virtual image such that it is visually recognized by a user as superimposed on the image of the subject or on the subject seen through a screen of the display.
According to the exemplary embodiment, since an event is caused to occur in the virtual space in accordance with variation in number of search targets that can be detected, more visual effects for having the user actually feel augmented reality by utilizing the search target can be provided.
An exemplary embodiment provides an information processing system. The information processing system includes a search target arranged in a subject, an image pick-up apparatus for picking up an image of the subject, an information processing apparatus connected to the image pick-up apparatus, and a display connected to the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes an image obtaining unit for obtaining the image of the subject picked up by the image pick-up apparatus, a search target detection unit for detecting the search target from the image of the subject obtained by the image obtaining unit, an event occurrence unit for causing an event to occur in a virtual space in accordance with variation in number of the search targets that can be detected by the search target detection unit, a virtual image generation unit for generating a virtual image by shooting the event that occurs by means of the event occurrence unit with a virtual camera arranged in the virtual space, and a display control unit for causing the display to display the virtual image such that it is visually recognized by a user as superimposed on the image of the subject or on the subject seen through a screen of the display.
According to the exemplary embodiment, since an event is caused to occur in the virtual space in accordance with variation in number of search targets that can be detected, more visual effects for having the user actually feel augmented reality by utilizing the search target can be provided.
The foregoing and other features, aspects and advantages of the present technology will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present technology when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.